FCC tightens Internet oversight with new net neutrality rules

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, center, and the FCC’s other two Democratic members — Mignon Clyburn, left, and Jessica Rosenworcel — received a standing ovation from net neutrality backers at the start of the meeting. Wheeler and the FCC’s other two Democratic members — Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel — received a standing ovation at the start of the meeting by much of a capacity crowd filled with activists who had worked years to enact strong net neutrality regulations. Verizon highlighted its view that the FCC was taking an outdated approach by handing out copies of a statement that was typed on a 1930s-era typewriter that said “it is likely that history will judge today’s actions as misguided.” House Speaker John Boehner called the new net neutrality regulations “a secret plan to put the federal government in control of the Internet.” He and other Republicans criticized Wheeler for not publicly releasing the 317-page proposal before the vote. Wheeler countered that the new rules were “no more a plan to regulate the Internet than the 1st Amendment is a plan to regulate free speech.” He said he was optimistic that the plan would stand up to legal challenges even though federal judges tossed out two earlier FCC attempts to enact net neutrality rules.